“David Lammy Under Fire Accused of Misleading Parliament as Chagos Deal Faces Backlash”
Labour Foreign Secretary David Lammy is facing serious accusations from his fellow party member, Labour MP Peter Lamb, over statements he made about the Chagos Islands deal. Mr. Lamb claims Mr. Lammy misled Parliament by saying the Chagossian people were fully consulted during the negotiations. However, Mr. Lamb argues there is strong evidence to suggest this is not true.
The Chagos Islands, located in the Indian Ocean, are at the center of a controversial deal between the UK and Mauritius. Under the agreement, the UK would give up sovereignty over the islands, which also house a joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. Critics have raised concerns that this move could give China greater access to the region, making the deal even more contentious.
At a meeting in Parliament, where MPs engaged with Chagossian representatives, lawyer Carl Buckley accused the government of ignoring the voices of the Chagossian people. He stated:
“The Foreign Secretary has publicly claimed that Chagossians were consulted throughout the negotiations, but that simply isn’t true. There has been no meaningful engagement, and their humanity and dignity are being overlooked again, just as it was when they were forcibly removed from their homeland over 50 years ago.”
Chagossians were removed from their homes in the late 1960s and 1970s to make way for the military base on Diego Garcia. Many still live in exile and have been fighting for their right to return. Now, as the sovereignty of the islands is being handed over to Mauritius, many Chagossians feel they are being left out of key decisions about their future.
Peter Lamb, who represents Crawley—the UK constituency with the largest Chagossian community—expressed his frustration, saying:
“Chagossians have written letters and filed Freedom of Information requests, but they’ve received no meaningful answers. The government claims ‘national security’ as a reason to avoid responding, but the questions being asked are basic and reasonable.”
He added: “There’s strong evidence that some of the Foreign Secretary’s statements in Parliament are not true, and this must be corrected.”
In October, David Lammy told MPs in the House of Commons: *”Of course, we kept the Chagossians informed all along the way.”* However, these claims are now being challenged, with critics saying the government has failed to involve Chagossians in a fair and transparent way.
The government has defended its actions, stating that the negotiations with Mauritius focused on ensuring the continued operation of the Diego Garcia military base while recognizing the Chagossians’ connection to the islands.
A government spokesperson said:
“We have worked to ensure this agreement reflects the interests of the Chagossian community. Both the previous and current administrations engaged with Chagossians at official and ministerial levels since the negotiations began in November 2022.”
The government also outlined some key provisions of the deal, including:
– A new trust fund to support the Chagossian community.
– A programme of visits for Chagossians to return to the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia.
– Mauritius being allowed to plan resettlement on the islands, except Diego Garcia, due to its military importance.
Despite these assurances, many Chagossians and their supporters feel the government has not done enough to involve them directly in decisions about their homeland.
The deal has also drawn international criticism. Some of former US President Donald Trump’s top advisors fear that giving sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius could allow China to expand its influence in the Indian Ocean. Diego Garcia is a critical strategic base for both the UK and US, and any changes to its control are being closely watched.
